Political Expert Ed Rollins: Chris Christie Should Leave RGA

Chris Christie should resign as chairman of the Republican Governors Association if he won't support GOP candidates, says Ed Rollins, former national campaign director for the Reagan-Bush '84 campaign.

Rollins was stunned that Christie, the governor of New Jersey, declined to back Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino in his challenge of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, calling it a lost cause.

"It's outrageous. At the end of the day his job is to be a cheerleader to raise money for candidates across the country,'' Rollins said Thursday on "The Steve Malzberg Show" on Newsmax TV.

"Rob Astorino is a very fine guy who I know well. He's a very strong candidate. He would be a much better candidate than the polls indicate today, and what Christie did is just outrageous."

Asked by Malzberg whether Christie should resign, Rollins said: "If he doesn't want to go out and help candidates win or raise money for them.

"Christie's out sort of for himself, and obviously he's used the RGA to sort of help move his own cause forward ... He wouldn't have liked it if someone would've said to him a couple years ago, you don't have a chance in heck.''

Also on Thursday, former New York Gov. George Pataki refused to rule out a run for the 2016 GOP nomination for president during an appearance on the Malzberg show.

Asked about the possibility of a Pataki bid, Rollins was not optimistic.

"I have great respect for the governor, he was a good governor here in New York, but at this point in time his day has passed and to a certain extent there are a lot of candidates, present governors, who are more known by the populace,'' Rollins said.

"Pataki is kind of an older name … he's wrong on a lot of the issues that matter to the political base. He's a pro-choice candidate, which isn't necessarily advantageous in places like New Hampshire and South Carolina and certainly in Iowa.

"I just don't see him as a viable, credible candidate. He can go out and raise $150 million dollars in the next year … [and] be a credible candidate, but I just don't see that.''
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Chris Christie should resign as chairman of the Republican Governors Association if he won't support GOP candidates, says Ed Rollins, former national campaign director for the Reagan-Bush '84 campaign.